Abused and neglected elderly: what can the family physician do?

Family abuse involving children and spouses is estimated to occur with one Canadian child or spouse in 10. The same figures probably apply to elderly persons cared for by a family member. This paper defines and describes abuse and neglect of the elderly, reviews the stress factors that often underlie it and profiles high-risk candidates for giving and receiving abuse. It provides guidance in detecting the occurrence of abuse of the elderly and suggests means of handling such occurrences in a humane, sensible and protective way.